


Curious Confections

by FromFarAway



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Halloween, I know, M/M, Mild Shame, Orgasms, aphrodisiac candy, but more pleasure, but this is late, for trick or treat prompt, fuck or be sort of uncomfortable, trick 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2019-01-28 16:08:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12610440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FromFarAway/pseuds/FromFarAway
Summary: Credence is excited for his very first wizarding Hallowe'en party.  But some candies he's eaten leave him feeling very strange in the middle of it.





	Curious Confections

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I did procrastinate finishing this fic until the last minute before realizing I had to edit and name it. I am garbage. But in my defense, writing sex scenes is very intimidating and hard. I mean difficult... it's very difficult...  
> Anyway, hope it's okay!

Credence straightens his crown in the mirror once more before heading back to the kitchen.  The scent of pumpkin, spices, and sugar curls around the house in a delicious haze.

Queenie beams when she sees him “Aw, honey, you look wonderful!  I always thought red would be a good color on you.”

“Thanks.” Credence says, ducking his head a bit and feeling pleased.

“Give me a spin so I can see all of it.”

Feeling a bit foolish, Credence turns in a circle, his red cape sweeping around behind him.

“Perfect.  You’ll be a real  _ heart _ -breaker.”  Queenie says with a wink.

Credence huffs a small laugh at her joke. “Are you sure this is appropriate for a Hallowe’en party?  It’s not too gaudy?”

“Of course!  You can’t wear something austere to a Hallowe’en party.  And besides, no-maj style Hallowe’en is in vogue, so you’ll fit right in as the king of hearts!”

“Okay.”  Credence takes a deep breath to calm his nerves about the party and asks, “Is there anything I can help out with?”

“That’s why you’re my favorite.  I’ve finished most everything already, but if you could dip the last few apples in caramel and set them to cool on the tray, and keep an eye on the pumpkin pasties in the oven, that would be lovely.  Feel free to snack a bit on the sweets, but don’t ruin your appetite.  I’ve still got to get all dolled up or we’re going to be late!”

With a quick peck to his cheek, she whisks off down the hall, and Credence carefully rolls up his sleeves and goes to work on the caramel apples.  With care, he dipped the apples into the pot on the stove, then settles them down on the tray and watches as the charm bubbles through to make unique faces in the surface of each caramel apple.  He’s finished almost quicker than he would like, and after a cursory check reveals that the pasties would need more time, he begins poking through the rest of the sweets adorning the kitchen.  Queenie had been hard at work since the early afternoon with only minimal help from Credence (he wasn’t bad at cooking magic… but he wasn’t that great either) and it definitely showed.  Sweets pile high on the countertop; chocolate eyeballs sit in one glass, cookies are decorated with a sugary spider web, a box from a shop is full to the brim of cinnamon apple pastries shaped like cats and bats, a jar full of simple but colorful candies glistened in the corner, and a pecan pie cooled on a wire rack.  It all looks tempting, but also so perfectly decorated that Credence didn’t want to ruin anything by eating it.  The feast is sure to be filled with other delicious treats, so for the moment perhaps just a few pieces of candy…  

Credence unscrews the jar of candy, and a delicious scent wafted out from them.  He popps one in his mouth, and his eyes fluttered shut as the flavor flooded his senses.  There’s a sweetness from the sugar, but also hints of vanilla, spices and something dark and warm… alcohol?  The sweet dissolves on his tongue all too soon, and he can not restrain himself from having another one.  Several sweets later he screws the lid back on, trying not to feel too guilty; he was allowed to have candy.

Credence removes the pastries from the oven just before Queenie steps back into the kitchen, dolled up in her colorful butterfly costume.  She gives a quick twirl to show off the fluttering of the delicate silk wings wrapped around her arms.

“Tada!  Now let’s hurry up, we’re picking up Jacob and then meeting everyone there!”

 

* * *

 

  
  


They arrive at the manor that had been rented for the MACUSA’s annual unofficial Hallowe’en party, and inside there are so many wizards in colorful dress that Credence can’t believe his eyes...  A few of the older wizards are wearing dark, heavy robes, but he’s far from out of place in a colorful costume.  The ballroom is huge and glittering and expensive-looking, with a sparkling chandelier, spooky decorations and portraits adorned the room, and a long table in the middle of the room is covered in sweets. Queenie somehow manages to spot their friends immediately (“It’s the costumes, Credence, I helped Teenie and Newt on both of their Pierrot costumes and those are quite bright and distinctive”), and begins to weave through the crowd despite the boxes in her hands.

 

“-say we question the suspect’s brother, something just wasn’t lining up when-”

“Honestly, Teenie, not shop talk, this is a party, not the office.  And that goes for you too, Mr. Graves.”

Tina rolls her eyes as Queenie plops down into the seat next to her, elbowing Newt not so discreetly to jolt him out of his writing and mumble a greeting.  Graves leaps to his feet quickly to greet Credence.

“I’m glad you could come, Credence.  I’m so glad to be able to celebrate your first Hallowe’en with you.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world Mr- uh, Percival.”  Credence flushes a bit at the use of Graves’ first name.  It feels so intimate, but after he had returned to New York, Percival had insisted upon it to help separate Grindelwald-Graves from the real Graves.  And it was a privilege solely intended for him.  One time an Auror had tried using it after hearing Credence, Graves had threatened him with demotion so harshly and quick that Credence was afraid the Auror would wet themselves.  Credence tries to squash the feeling of smugness - Graves only means it as a kindness because he pitied him - but it’s hard to do with Graves beaming at him every time he used it.

Graves pulls out the chair next to where he was sitting “Here, sit and I’ll get you something to drink.”

Credence’s gaze lingers on him as he heads to where the banquet tables are laid out; Graves is wearing a no-maj marine suit, white and navy and sophisticated, and he looks for the world like a dashing hero from a romance novel (the kind Mary Lou had always decried as sinful).  Queenie giggles and wiggles her eyebrows at him from across the table, making him blush and look down.  Graves is back quickly, a glass in each hand, and he places one in front of Credence before sitting down.

“Just a light sparkling champagne.”  He says about Credence’s drink, and Credence smiles and takes a sip.

“Oh Mr Graves, you neglected to greet the rest of us when we arrived with Credence.”  Queenie teases, eyes sparkling with mischief.

“How remiss of me.  Happy Hallowe’en, Miss Goldstein.  And to you, Mr…” Graves’ words peter out as his gaze turns to Jacob with the arch of an eyebrow.

Queenie, realizing her mistake, begins to dissemble awkwardly.  “Oh.  This is, uh, Jacob.  Kuuuuuuh- Kent.  He’s my…”

“...Squib cousin.”  Graves fills in for her.  When she startles, he continues, “Miss Goldstein, I would love to plead ignorant of any goings-on if I need to in the future, but I can only do so if you get better at lying.”

Queenie lets out a nervous giggle and says “Well, I really need to, uh, drop some of these at the table with everything else everyone brought.  Jacob, why don’t you help me with that.”

They rush off with the boxes Queenie brought and silence descends for a moment before Graves clears his throat.

“So, Mr. Scamander, what are you working on?”

“Oh it’s just a little something….”

Tina beams and jumps in, “It’s wonderful!  His first book has done so well that everyone is looking forward to what he writes next!  He’s looking into some things highlighting more specific areas and breeds, with more sketches to accompany them.”

Graves settles an arm around the back of Credence’s chair as they chat, sending a thrill through him, and he leans closer.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Something something something - Credence, are you alright?”

Credence blinks through the haze fogging his head and realizes that Queenie is talking to him.  He frowns; he hadn’t even noticed when she got back to their table.

“I think he’s just a bit tipsy.” says Graves, his voice right in Credence’s ear, chuckling a bit and running his hand up and down Credence’s back.  The motion sends sparks of heat radiating outward from that spot, and Credence leans into it.

Queenie’s voice comes again, sounding a bit worried, and he tries to focus on her rather than Graves, he does.   “Credence - what sweets did you try before we got here?”

Credence thinks of the jar with the delicious candies, then blinks and focuses on Graves’ neck in front of his face, and idly wonders if it would taste just as sweet if he licked it.

“How many did you have?” Queenie asks, followed shortly by an unladylike curse.

Graves’ tone lashes out like a whip “Miss Goldstein, what exactly am I to assume that you’ve fed Credence?”

“Well, um, you see Mr. Graves, Hallowe’en is just such a time of revelry and lots of people like to enjoy it every way they can, I just…. It was just a bit of a  _ dulcis cupiditata _ .  I didn’t mean for him to eat them!”

“Goldstein!  Are you saying that you’ve drugged him with lust candy!”

The conversation finally permeates Credence’s brain, and he pulls back from Graves, thumping back into his own seat as cold shock emphasizing how unnatural the heat that ran through him was.  The heat sparks and pulses along his skin and around his groin, and Credence hunches in on himself, embarrassed.  How long had he been like this?  Who else had noticed?

“He may have gotten slightly above the recommended dose…  There’s a note that I put out with them - everyone will be absolutely fine if they just have one or two!  And - and it’s not going to last on Credence for more than an hour… or two… probably.  It’s just going to increase his libido a bit more than it’s meant to, and he may have to excuse himself to the bathroom for a bit…  Sorry sweetie.” She tosses the last sentence to Credence.

Eyes darting around like a trapped animal, Credence feels like everyone’s focus is on him.  He fidgets in his seat before pushing back from the table - they know what is happening to him - to him in his intimate parts.

“Ex-excuse me” murmurs Credence before turning and bolting away, out of the hall and up the stairs, into one of the rooms reserved for guests who had gotten too drunk at the party to floo or apparate home, and into the tiled bathroom with a lock on the door.  He sheds his outer robes and crown and curls up on the cool tiled floor, hands clenching compulsively on his shorts.  Pressing his head against the chilled tile clears the fog a bit.  It was one thing to- to self abuse furtively in the dark in the middle of the night in his own room with only the familiar sense of shame keeping him company; this was another.  To do that in someone else’s home, when everyone is there just rooms away, knowing that he is in this state - Credence trembles.  He only has to wait it out, Miss Queenie had said that it wouldn’t last too long.  He could last through it.  He could… list all the spells he knows in alphabetical order.

 

 

* * *

 

 

It doesn’t take long for it get more and more difficult to focus as his thoughts grow foggier and try to turn to lust. His skin feels tight, the tiles doing little to mitigate the heat, the drag of his clothes against skin almost too strong a sensation.  It feels like hours had passed by the time there was a knock on the door, though it must have only been minutes.

“Credence?”Graves calls through the door, “Are you going to be alright?”

Mr Graves.  Credence whimpers, fevered heat mixing with hot shame.  His fingers spasm; his voice sounds good, deep and smoky, but he has to stop focusing on it.  God what he must think of Credence.

“Credence, if you don’t respond I’m coming in.  Please answer me Credence.”

The sound of his name in Graves’ voice sends a shiver of pleasure up his spine.  Wait - he couldn’t come in here - couldn’t see Credence like this; partially undressed, flushed and wanting like some kind of wanton - no.  Credence struggles to push himself up to a seated sprawl as a whisper of ‘alohomora’ unlocks the door and Graves steps into the room.  The door shuts behind him and he’s at Credence’s side in the blink of an eye, kneeling to examine him and looking gentle and touchable.

“Credence,” he whispers, running a soothing hand through his hair.

The tips of his nails scrape against Credence’s scalp and a shiver runs down his spine electrifying his entire body.  It was too much, seeing him here and having his hands on him when he is so sensitive, and Credence can’t hold on any longer.  He turns his face into Graves’ shoulder as his body trembled out his release, body spasming and eyes welling up with tears.

He drifts out of the haze of pleasure, heat temporarily abated, to find Graves’ hand rubbing soothing circles on his back, and his shoulder soaked with Credence’s tears.

“Sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, Mister Graves” Credence whispered between broken breaths.

“Percival, please, Credence.” He says softly, hand coming up to tilt Credence’s face up to meet his eyes, his gaze evaluating.  “Are you alright?”

As the cold feeling of reality set in, Credence scrambles backwards, crashing into the tile wall and only avoiding a severe headache by Graves lurching forward to cushion his head with a hand.  He had come to check on Credence and Credence had sullied it with his inappropriate reaction.

“I’m sorry Mister Graves” Credence sobs “I’m so sorry”

“Credence,” Graves lifts his other hand to cup Credence’s face and uses his thumb to wipe away a tear “My dear boy, you have nothing to apologize for.”

“But I…” Credence gestures towards his pants, and Graves eyes drift downwards for a moment before snapping back to meet his.

“Oh darling, that’s nothing to apologize for.” Graves sighs, “Queenie was afraid that you might not react well.  Having too many of the desire candies… well, it will help to seek your release a few times.”

And Credence had thought he couldn’t get any redder.  At least he had stopped the embarrassing flood of tears under the soothing motion of Graves’ thumb on his cheek.

“I can stay here to assist you.  There’s no shame in it,” Graves’ eyes search his, but Credence feels like his brain has frozen, “Or I could go back down and send someone else?”

Graves pulls his hand back tentatively, and Credence can feel his chance at something he wants slipping away, like it had for so many early years of his life.  He is almost surprised when he sees his hand snap out to catch Graves’.

“No, please.”  The words begin to overflow his mind and spill out of his mouth “Please don’t leave me - I just don’t want you to - I don’t want to force you to - you shouldn’t have to sully yourself for me.  You don’t need to - I will be fine without you, Mister Graves.”

Credence tries a smile, but from the look on Graves face it is not entirely successful.  

“Credence, it would not be a hardship to be here with you.  You’re… a very attractive young man.  I… ah.   You know that two men together is not uncommon in the magical world and I am not stranger to it and… well, I should like to help you any way I can and certainly I cannot imagine that any interaction with you could possibly ‘sully’ me.  Please believe that I will not do anything that I don’t want to.  And I won’t do anything you don’t want me to either.  All you need to do is tell me what you want.  And for Morgana’s sake, call me Percival.”

“Percival” Credence swallows, his throat suddenly dry.  Meeting Gra-Percival’s - he corrects in his head to keep his mouth in line - steady gaze was difficult, his eyes dark with promises.  Credence can feel himself harden again as his skin warms under that look. “I want you.”

A beat passes before Percival gets to his feet, keeping hold of Credence’s hand to pull him up as well “Let’s get you a bit more comfortable.”

On wobbly legs, Credence follows Percival into the bedroom, and is deposited on the edge of the bed as Percival locks the door and strips his suit jacket.  It’s like a dream, getting to have this.  To have Percival, stripped down to his shirtsleeves, and those rolled up to his elbows and unbuttoned enough for Credence to see a whorl of chest hair.  To have him not averse to being intimate with Credence clouds his mind, and tingles began to suffuse him again as Percival walked over to the bed.

“May I?” two fingers pluck at his remaining clothes as Percival gives him a darkly enquiring look.

Credence nods desperately.  Gentle fingers pull his undershirt over his head, unbutton his pants, and peel off those along with his stockings. Credence can not stifle a moan as Percival runs a finger over the renewed bulge in his sticky undershorts before divesting Credence of those as well, so that he is left splayed on his back and exposed to Percival who sat on the edge of the bed leaning towards Credence as if he is magnetic.

“You’re beautiful” Percival breathes, and Credence can honestly not tell whether he was meant to hear it or not.

Percival places a chaste kiss on his lips before slowly working his way down.  Credence shudders and arches his back as Percival lowers his head to lave over his nipple, sensitive in a way Credence has never noticed before.  A calloused hand wraps around his member and Credence lets out an embarrassing moan, hips thrusting up into Percival’s grasp.  He bites the edge of his palm to stifle the slew of noises falling from his lips, but it’s not a minute later before Percival is lifting his head and wrapping his free hand around Credence’s wrist.

“Let me hear you please, beautiful.”

Credence’s cock jerks in Percival’s hand as their eyes meet, and Credence lowers his arm to grasp the sheet beneath himself with both hands instead as Percival’s head goes back down to trail kisses down his chest.  Credence yelps as Percival nips his skin with his teeth before soothing it with a kiss.  The repetitive twist of Percival’s hand is bringing him close to release again even though he had already come tonight.  Percival’s trail of kisses brings his head down near Credence, and the sight of it has him thrusting up a bit and leaving a wet smear on the edge of his chin.

Credence, instantly ashamed of his own audacity, mumbles “I’m so sorry.”

Percival, nonchalantly keeping eye contact with Credence, wipes the spot up with his thumb and sucks off the fluid, turning Credence’s thoughts to mush.  Credence barely remembers to breathe as Percival lowers his head to press a line of tantalizing kisses up his dick, each press of lips setting his nerves alight anew.  He feels so sensitive, the grasp of Percival’s hand on his dick and the warm breath of air nearly driving him over the edge of pleasure.  Percival opens his mouth to lick a stripe up Credence’s cock and at that his mind whites out with pleasure, his toes curling and his back arching automatically.

“ _ Percival” _ he gasps as he comes.

He lays there feeling wrung out for a minute, loose and limp before blinking the stars from his eyes.  Percival is still hovering partly over him, a smug look on his face despite the come cooling on his cheek.  Credence whimpers as his dick tries to respond again so soon.  It’s filthy and… and indecent!  But it was an enticing image, Percival Graves marked by him, Credence.  

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.  I’m… very, very good.  I’m sorry, I guess we should get you cleaned up.”

Percival mock scowls down at him for a moment.  “I’m going to have to ban that phrase from our conversations, ‘I’m sorry’.  You have absolutely nothing to be sorry about.  And about the cleanup, if I may?”

Percival waits for a nod from Credence, then mutters a spell under his breath that sweeps cleanly and with light tingling over Credence, and over Percival himself.

“I think we’ll be okay for a little bit for now.”  Percival says, then pauses in thought before continuing, “Wait here for me.”

He rests a hand on Credence’s chest to keep him on the bed, then cracks the door open the slightest amount to slip out.  Credence sits up among the rumpled bed linens, pulls some up over his lap to cover himself, and tries not to feel too awkward and bereft without him.  With Percival gone and the fever in his skin temporarily subsided, all his anxieties have come back to haunt him.  That Mr Graves - Percival is only doing this because he pities him.  That he should’ve, he should’ve been able to take care of this himself, but here he is, taking advantage of the other man because of how long he’d pined and lusted for him.  That Percival has left because he felt disgusted with him.  Credence reminds himself that this was a blessing, to have Percival so intimately, if only for a night (however much more he longs for).  Then he was back.

Percival slides back into the room quickly, levitating a tray with him and locking the door.  He settles it on the bed, then sits down on the bed himself, close enough for Credence to touch.

“I brought you some food from downstairs so you don’t feel that you’ve missed the party already.  Pumpkin juice, pumpkin bread, apple pastry, pecan pie, and a chocolate frog.  Don’t worry, it’s all tampering-free.”

“Thank you.”

Percival takes a seat on the bed, settling against the headboard as Credence tries a bite of every item first.  When he notices Percival watching him Credence blushes and offers the plate back.

“Sorry, did you want any?”

“No, I’m fine.  It’s just a pleasure seeing you enjoy it.  How are you feeling?”

“I’m still fine for now.  But could I…”

“Anything.”

Credence places the plate on the end table and slowly crawls forward, dragging the sheets with him and watching for any sign of rejection, to settle between Percival’s legs, back against his chest.  Percival’s arms instantly come up to settle loosely around his waist in a partial embrace and Credence relaxes a little.  They stay that way for as long as they can, sitting in comfort as Credence nibbles on sweets, until the flush of heat takes up residence in Credence once more and he is rubbing backward into Percival without realizing it.  

“Percival, please…”

He reacts instantly, a gentle hand turning Credence’s face to the side to kiss him.

“You taste so sweet…”

Credence throws himself into the kiss with abandon, twisting between Percival’s legs to throw his arms around his neck as Percival’s hands travel lower, trailing over stomach and thighs, leaving heat in their wake.  Credence throws his head back in pleasure and Percival trails kisses down his exposed neck, stopping near the base to suck a mark into his skin.  Credence is sure by this point that he’s making a fool of himself; red and writhing and absolutely unable to control the noises coming out of his mouth with the thrice damned heat burning under his skin.  Credence wriggles against Percival and something hard presses against his hip.  In his hazy state it takes Credence a minute to figure out what it is.

“Oh!”  Percival freezes at Credence’s exclamation. “Oh, you’re hard.”

He answers in a roughened voice “...I am. I wasn’t lying when I said that I found you handsome.  And you are even more so in this state.  I’m only a man Credence.  You don’t have to -”

“I want to!”  Credence exclaims, blushing at how quickly it came to his lips. “I mean… I would quite enjoy it if we found pleasure together.  Please.”

Credence tugs on the collar of his shirt to encourage motion, and Percival slowly disentangles himself from Credence to strip out of his remaining clothes.  He is every bit as beautiful as Credence imagined he might be.  He is toned, strong, with downy hair covering his chest, and a smattering of scars spread across his skin.  His cock juts out proudly from between his legs, and as Credence wets his dried lips, it twitches.  He looks up to see Percival’s eyes darken at his perusal of him.

“I want you.”

Credence and Percival come together once more, kissing as warm skin pressed against each other and hands roamed.

Credence breaks the kiss to ask “How can I make you feel good?”

“Credence, you’re already doing that.”

“No, I mean… should I… uh...”

Percival smiles softly down at him.  “If you’re so insistent, how about I try something and you tell me whether you like it.”

Credence nods enthusiastically.

“All right, turn to lie on your side for me, and keep your legs together.”

Credence complies, and at a whispered word, he feels a cool stickiness coat his thighs, and the cool temperature sends shivers through his fevered skin.  Percival lays behind him and Credence feels his cock bump into the back of his legs before sliding between them.  His thrusts rub his cock along Credence’s perineum and up the length of him, and they both moan at the sensation.

“Touch me, please.”  Credence pleads, the heat under his skin has been building again with no release in a while and he  _ yearned _ , skin electric under every brush of contact.

Percival curls a hand around his length as he continues to thrust, pressing kisses to any skin he can reach as he whispers in Credence’s ear.

“You feel so good… Merlin, Credence, what you do to me.  I want to spend all night worshiping your body… press kisses all over you…”

Several more twists of his wrist and Credence is spilling all over his hand.  Percival continues thrusting as Credence lays limp and boneless with pleasure.

“You’re so beautiful… I want you… I’ve wanted you for so long, Credence... never imagined this would happen…”

Percival stills, and Credence feels a warm spattering on his stomach.  It doesn’t matter.  They can clean up with magic.  Credence settles in to cuddle with Percival.  It takes a minute for his words to sink in through the haze of orgasm, but when they do Credence bolts upright.

“You wanted this - me - before tonight?”

“Merlin, of course I have.  For so long Credence.  After everything… I thought you would want nothing to do with me, but you’ve been around more and more, only growing lovelier as you come into yourself.  You might have a slight infatuation with me, but you can do better, you could have whoever you wanted, you’re young, powerful, and gorgeous; Credence you’re the brightest star in any room you walk into.  How could anyone not want you?  How could I not want you?”

“Oh”  Happiness swells in his chest.

Percival sighs.  “I hadn’t wanted to tell you if I couldn’t keep you, but here we are.”

“Percival, I want you.”

“You think that now but several months or even weeks down the line…”

Credence catches his gaze and holds it, heartbeat loud in his ears and says firmly  “Give me a chance.  Please.  I want you, Percival.  I’ve found you attractive for… a while, but every day I know you I like what I see more and more.”

Credence waits with baited breath before Percival tentatively nods.

“I suppose it would hurt as much losing you now as it would in a month.  I’ll be so good to you,” Percival swears “for however long we have together.”

“Percival…”  Credence whispers before leaning forward to kiss him.  Time is on his side.  They’ll be together and Percival will realize that he’s not going to leave.  And maybe he’ll get exactly what he wants.  Maybe he’ll get forever.

  
  


* * *

 

  
  


Credence curls into Percival as the tremors in his body subside, feeling lethargic and relaxed.  It’s over.  They lay in silence for a minute before Percival probes.

“Think you’re going to be okay now?” Percival asks gently.

“Yeah, I think so…”  Credence trails off, quietly and anxiously running his fingers through Percival’s chest hair.

He’s quiet for so long that Percival begins to worry and asks “Is everything okay?  You don’t - you don’t regret it now tha-”

“No!” Credence exclaims firmly as he sits upright to look Percival in the eyes, “No, I could never regret anything with you… it’s just…” Credence pauses for a moment before wailing “I missed the entire Hallowe’en party!”

Percival smothers a relieved smile at Credence’s misplaced distress.

“I’m sorry sweetheart.” Percival says comfortingly, “These Hallowe’en parties really aren’t all that exciting…”

At the sight of Credence’s tragic expression he sighs and changes tacts “...and, if we clean up and dress quickly, we’ll still be in time for the witching hour, which is the best part of the night, really.”

Credence brightens at that and leaps to his feet dragging Percival with him “What are we waiting for, let’s go, let’s go!”

 

 

* * *

 

  
  


Back in the ballroom things are much the same, though with significantly more inebriated wizards and witches stumbling around rosy cheeked and slurring.  Credence and Percival wend their way through the crowd, fingers laced together, trying to locate their friends.  Tina spots them first and runs to throw herself at Credence, forcing him to drop Percival’s hand to catch her.

“Credence!  You’re back!”  Tina mumbles into his neck as he stumbles.

A glow of warmth lights up his chest as he thinks of all the people he has around him now who care about him and miss him when he’s gone, even if only for a few hours.

“Oh, get off him Teenie, you’re boiled as an owl.”  Queenie says as she hauls Tina off him, both girls giggling and stumbling against each other as they struggle to stay upright.

Tina and Newt seem to have switched caps some time during the night, Jacob’s facepaint is a bit smeared (Queenie now sports some white greasepaint on her face), and all of them are wreathed in smiles, so Credence supposes that they all had a wonderful night.

“Come see the pumpkins we carved!” exclaims Tina, rushing off and leaving the lot of them behind to follow as best they can.

They stop at a long table against the wall with lit Jack-o-lanterns, and Tina gestures to two of them.

“This one’s mine, and that one's Newts” she says with a giggle.

“Oh, that’s… it’s… what is that?”

Tina roars with laughter and slaps Newt on the shoulder, who pouts.

“It’s a demiguise!”

“Well, I think it’s lovely.”  Queenie says.

“You thought it was a kneezle at first!”  Newt wails.  “Pumpkin carving isn’t even real art!”

“You’re just mad because my pumpkins better!”  Tina announces.

“It’s boring!  It’s all triangles!”

“I think you mean classic!”

Percival curls an arm around Credence’s waist as the others bicker.

He whispers in Credence’s ear “3..2..”

On one, the clocks ring midnight and around the ballroom, ghosts begin to materialize, swooping around the room to the amusement of the guests.

“Can we celebrate Hallowe’en like this next year?” Credence asks.

“Anything you want, sweetheart.”

Credence thinks he wouldn’t mind celebrating Hallowe’en like this every year.

 


End file.
